Qualicum man discharged after violent stabbing allegedly assaults senior
NANAIMO — Less than two months after receiving a conditional discharge for violently stabbing a friend, a Qualicum Beach man is accused of an unprovoked attack on an elderly man.
Garrett Ryan Bruce, 31, is in custody facing a new charge of assault related to an alleged incident on Feb. 24 at a Victoria Legion.
Branch 127 president and retired Victoria police officer Rudy Vermaning, 70, said they hosted a sold out private function that night and a young man was trying to come inside. Vermaning told NanaimoNewsNOW he was quietly speaking to the man, who did not seem agitated at all, telling him it was a member’s function and he would have to come back another time.
“All of a sudden I was struck in the head…I was informed it was a headbutt. I wound up flat on my back on the floor, received a small cut to the lip and landed on my tailbone which was still sore two weeks after.”